Isabella's Restaurante Italiano
(909) 795-3700
534 Myrtlewood Dr.
Calimesa, Ca. 92320
Reviewed By: Ed & Beth Wright

In direct response to a review with a pricing complaint posted by a reader about the Redlands "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano," and because we have already dined at the Redlands Isabella's Ristorante, we took the opportunity to try out "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" new Calimesa location. This branch of the popular Italian themed Ristorante is located where the old Mc G's Restaurant use to be... and the interior has not changed much, remaining semi-upscale.

The complaint "The Wright Gourmet" received was about a "Split Plate" Charge that had been added to a couples bill because they shared their meals with two of the children. The fee is $4.95 for each "Shared Meal," and is supposedly designed to cover the expense of plating the meal for 2. The complaint was not as much about the charge as it was about not being told they were going to be charged the extra fee. The restaurant's defense is that the fee is disclosed at the bottom of the menu... right next to the 18% gratuity fee that is automatically added to the bill of any party of 8 or more.

To verify this practice we dined at the Calimesa "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" on a Sunday Evening. We ordered the Calamaretti (fried Calamari) as an appetizer ($9.95) and as an entrée Isabella's Pollo Marsala (Chicken Marsala - $15.95). We specifically requested that the meal NOT BE SPLIT... but were informed that it was "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" policy to always split any meal that was being shared. The important part about all of this is that Isabella's Ristorante also has a "Minimum Charge" of $9.95 per person disclosed at the bottom of the menu also.

Please note that at NO TIME was the additional "Split Plate" fee disclosed... and we had not noticed it on the menu partially because it is dark and I require glasses to read the smaller print like what is at the bottom of the page. "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" menu is very complete, and has lots of small print, so it is extremely easy to miss these additional charges at the bottom of the menu.

The quality of the food served is marginal for the prices charged... and the "Chicken Marsala" is anything but a traditional Marsala style dish. The sauce that "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" uses is actually a country style brown sauce that might have a minimal bit of marsala wine in it. From a personal standpoint we find numerous Italian Style Restaurants in the area that provide comparable, if not better food for less than what "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" charges; and without all the Pricing Games... which we were charged also.

Please allow "The Wright Gourmet" to "Suggest" that you may want to avoid all 3 branches of "Isabella's Ristorante Italiano" until such time as they see fit to remove these "Garbage" type charges from the bottom of their menu, or at least learn to consistently warn their customers about such charges. We can not understand how our meal, considering the request we made that the meal not be "Split" should have received a "Split Plate" fee... Plus our order was large enough to not recieve a "Minimum Per Person Charge." This is clearly nothing more than a pricing game to generate additional revenues from a menu that is already a bit pricey, and not really all that good.